


Neville Longbottom and the Secrets of a Woman

by Merfilly



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Inspired by a Movie, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-05
Updated: 2013-09-05
Packaged: 2017-12-25 16:13:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/955162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the days after the Battle, Neville tries to make good on his feelings</p>
            </blockquote>





	Neville Longbottom and the Secrets of a Woman

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thinkatory](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thinkatory/gifts).



The determined stride Neville Longbottom had picked up covered the grounds quickly, until he was right where he wished to be, in speaking distance of his heart's desire… and then his courage faltered, for Luna Lovegood was occupied.

Ginny Weasley sat within the comforting circle of her friend's arms, her slim shoulders still shaking. Neville started to pass on by, to pretend that Luna had not been his destination, but the uncanny girl opened her arms and indicated he should sit beside them, without speaking. She had pointed to Ginny's other side as she gestured, and Neville found himself doing just as she'd said. One hand came up, awkwardly, to rest on Ginny's back, and he tried to imagine how he'd feel if he had ever had siblings to bond with, to love. . . and to lose.

It made his comforting hand more solid on her back, and he remained close, catching out of the corner of his eye the small smile Luna favored him with for his compassion.

* * *

As the first days after the battle for Hogwarts progressed, Luna could be found by nearly anyone who needed her… and most everyone did. While the teachers were ready and willing to try and put aside their grief to counsel the students in need, Luna had such a fine touch with the subject that McGonagall subtly sent the most difficult cases her way. 

All of the remaining classes were canceled. Students all had the option of going home with concerned parents… yet few left. 

Neville was clearing out some rubble near the dormitories when Blaise, of all people, found him. The Slytherin looked uncomfortable… and yet he waited until Neville set down the chunk of banister near others that would be sorted and possibly reused.

"Yes?" Neville asked, still unsure of the idea that he, not Harry, not Ron, not Hermione, had been pulled to the forefront of the Gryffindor effort. It had been one thing when they were gone, but -- now they were back, and he was still the one handling things. 

"We don't want to leave, the ones still here," Blaise said, indicating the handful of other Slytherins waiting behind him at a distance. "This is our school as well." 

//Bloody… what do I say to that?// Neville tried to sort his feelings. Were they offering so that they could sabotage the protective spells that still needed to be rebuilt? Or…

He willed himself to be in their shoes, to see the disgrace that many of their families were in. He thought of how many would be losing parents to Azkaban as the Ministry took back over. He tried to imagine what he would do, given what he knew of Slytherin ambition.

"We need the help. But… maybe, to keep people from being nervy, you might want to remain on teams separate from each other, to show you can be part of the school, and not just the house?" Neville offered, keeping his tone as cautious as he could.

Blaise's lips pursed, and his jaw tightened, but he gave a curt nod. "Time we show you all that there's more to us than… them!" He jerked his thumb out toward the courtyard, where bodies had been sorted out and readied for claiming, waiting under stasis spells. He walked off, and began telling each of his cohort of Slytherins which team to go find, separating them all out.

"You see the path of others, and walk it long enough to know the right choice," came Luna's soft voice, startling Neville into turning around. She looked tired to him, and he wanted to find some excuse to get her to go and rest.

"It just seemed like the fair thing to do," he told her, staying still near the debris rather than move over; she had far too much to cope with for him to intrude with his feelings toward her.

"Neville Longbottom, there is no one on these grounds who would find you less than fair, I think," Luna said, favoring him with a smile before going on. She had a feeling that Percy was close to his breaking point by now, and would need to be coaxed into moving forward from his loss.

Neville's smile at her passing by was nearly blinding as he felt his heart swell further for her. Absolutely mad for her, and he knew it.

* * *

"You know he likes you."

Ginny was sitting with Luna in the library, one of the few places that no one would come looking for either one of them. McGonagall had insisted they lose themselves for at least a couple of hours. As Harry and Ron and Hermione had left early that morning for some unknown destination, Ginny had opted to stay close to Luna. Her brothers and parents were not coping well.

"I know." Luna looked through the volume she had selected, a bestiary, seeming without any concern for the words.

"I think he's been trying to tell you since the battle ended," Ginny added.

"He has." Luna turned a page, her eyes widening as she read about a sighting of a Galumping Gallahorn.

Ginny's breath exploded out of her in a huff. "And?!"

"Did you know a Gallahorn is a very unique version of an alicorn?" Luna asked, leaving her friend utterly perplexed, and just as confused as she thought Neville probably was.

* * *

Ginny sat next to Neville at the evening meal, leaving the gaggle of her family -- all of whom were immersing themselves in the clean up rather than trying to cope, in her opinion -- to their own devices. It wasn't that she loved her brother any less, but she would come to true mourning in her own time, just as Luna had counseled.

"She knows, you know," Ginny said with a flick of her eyes toward Ravenclaw's traditional tables.

"Knows? But…" Neville tried to find words for how terrified he was and also to learn what she thought of his feelings.

"I can't make out what she's thinking on the matter, Neville. You're on your own there." Ginny gave him a half-shrug. "You know how she is."

"Wonderful," Neville answered dreamily.

Ginny patted his hand gently before working on her meal a little. "Probably do the best if you just ask her. She always answers, even if you have to think about the way she says it."

"What if she doesn't like me back?" Neville asked in a panic.

"Then you'll know… and you can move on to being her friend instead," Ginny advised.

"Right… friends.…"

* * *

Luna did not look up from where she was delicately cleaning the frame of one of the portraits as she was joined by another person. "Hello Neville."

"How'd you know it was me?" exploded from the young man as he took a set of the brushes and worked at getting the dust out of the grooved frame of the next painting.

"Ahh, thank you!" its subject told him.

Luna smiled slightly. "You are not the only one who notices important things."

"I… uhh… ahh…" Neville could not, for the life of him, find the words to answer that.

"Yes."

"Yes?" Neville squeaked.

"I do."

"Oh." Neville concentrated on the painting for a few moments, before turning to look at her directly.

She turned her face to him, and tipped her chin up, closing her eyes partway.

That was a confirmation he could understand, and he kissed her softly… to the applause of those portrait subjects able to see them.


End file.
